


Missing Moments

by zania330



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies), The Isle of the Lost Series - Melissa de la Cruz
Genre: Alternate Universe - Descendants (Disney Movies) Fusion, Ben Is Not King, Core Four, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mal Is Part Fairy, Ships TBC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-05-31 12:23:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15119339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zania330/pseuds/zania330
Summary: When Prince Ben declares that the children of the Isle shall receive a second chance, Auradon better get ready for the VKs...A retelling of the first "Descendants", featuring or elaborating on moments that the first movie might have missed.





	1. A Proclamation

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to write this after rewatching the first Descendants movie and realizing "wow, some of these moments are cringey" or "I wish this was developed upon more". I'm still in the process of writing this fic, not a whole lot is set in stone yet, but I have an idea of the direction I want to go. I might not retell every event, but definitely some main ones. The focus on this fic will be the relationships that the VKs form between others and themselves.
> 
> With that in mind, let me know of any moments you guys wish could have been seen or elaborated on in Descendants! Anything from Carlos having trouble sleeping at night, to Mal initially struggling with magic, or Evie completing a chemistry lab with Doug. Who knows, maybe I'll include them as a chapter.
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy!

Days had been spent pondering it over. It would take even longer to get all the logistics figured out and established with the school and other royal council members, but he had done it. His first proclamation had been decided on ...he just had to get it approved by his parents first, as they were still the ones in charge.

Even though Ben was born as a prince, his coronation in a few months, his coming-of-age ceremony, was what would truly declare him the Crown Prince of Auradon. He would serve as regent to his father, the King, and officially be able to take over for him once he’s ready to step down--which hopefully wouldn’t be for many, _many_ more years to come, but such is formalities. Along with being Crown Prince came the bonus of Ben getting to create his own first proclamation, if he so wished.

At first, Ben was going to deny the opportunity, unsure of what changes he could even make for the good of Auradon. People were happy here. “ _Goodness didn’t get any better_ ” here, right?

However, the more Ben started thinking about it, his thoughts extended to the Isle of the Lost, where all the land’s villains had been imprisoned almost twenty years ago. Of course, it was known to all just how rotten the Isle’s original inhabitants were ...but, in recent years, rumors began to surface that many villains on the Isle had given birth to children, just as the heroes had, and that many of these children had grown into teenagers by now. Ben couldn’t even begin to imagine what many of those kids must’ve went through. He had grown up with everything, and they grew up with… Well, he wasn’t sure what they grew up with. All he knew was that the children there deserved more than what the Isle could give them. They were innocents, weren’t they?

“Ben, dear?”

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ben glanced upward to see his mother looking at him with some concern. “Your beef ragu is getting cold. Is everything okay?”

To the kingdom, she was Queen Belle. Beautiful, brave, a noble woman at heart. To Ben, she was just his mom. A woman who spent most of her days hiding in the castle library--always reading and always eager to learn more, yet still had the heart to always encourage him.

“Yeah, ah, sorry mom,” Ben shook his head, giving his mother a light smile. He poked the food with his fork and stuck it in his mouth, mumbling with a mouthful. “ _Idge schtil good, shee?"_

“Ben,” His father spoke up, shaking his head. “Table manners, remember.”

“Oh, like you can talk,” Belle countered softly before taking a sip of her water, remembering Adam’s “beastly” eating habits when they had first met.

Adam rolled his eyes, but chuckled at his wife’s comment anyway. “Very well.”

Ben couldn’t help but smile at his parents’ bantering. It definitely put him at ease for what was about to come next… “Actually,” He spoke up, after swallowing and wiping his mouth with the table napkin. “There is something I wanted to talk to you about. I’ve decided on my first official proclamation as Crown Prince.”

Belle set down her water glass with a look of surprise on her face, while Adam grinned and patted his son on the back, giving him a proud look. “I knew you would come up with something, son.”

“We’re glad you came to a decision after all,” Belle smiled in Ben’s direction. “What have you decided?”

“Well,” Ben straightened in his seat, feeling more confident in his choice now. “I have decided that the children of the Isle of the Lost shall be given a second chance, and shall be allowed to live here in Auradon.”

The looks on Belle and Adam’s faces grew reluctant, and suddenly, Ben didn’t feel so confident anymore. If anything, he felt a little sick ...maybe having this conversation during dinner wasn’t the best idea.

“Ben,” Adam spoke in a low tone. “You are talking about the children of our sworn enemies. Certainly you remember their stories, the crimes they committed.”

“Yes, the stories that happened over twenty years ago. Stories that their children did not yet exist in,” Ben reminded him, swallowing. “Their children were not the ones to commit those crimes. They deserve a chance to live normal lives.”

"It is too great a risk-"

Before Adam could argue any further, Belle placed a hand on his shoulder. “Adam, don’t be too hard. His heart is in the right place. Think of where we would be if I did not see the goodness in you,” She reminded him softly. As reluctant as she was about the proclamation too, she knew her son. She knew that he had to have thought it out enough before presenting it to them, and it was worth hearing out. With that, Belle lowered her hand and looked back to her son. “Ben, we understand that you must have put a lot of thought into his proclamation, but you must know, once those kids arrive in Auradon, they will be your responsibility. Their residency, their education--you’ll have people to help you, but it’ll be you that must make sure they’ll have everything they need.”

“I contacted Mrs. Blanche the other day to see if there’s any room for them to enroll at Auradon Prep the following year,” Ben informed, referring to the Headmistress, the Fairy Godmother. As the school year had just ended, that left enough time over the summer to get transferring any Isle children out of the way. “As the school’s resources are limited, she told me only four children can be brought over for now.”

Belle and Adam seemed content enough with this revelation, knowing that Auradon wouldn’t suddenly be flooded with villain kids. “And have you decided which children you wish to bring over?” Adam questioned. He swore, if Gaston’s sons were included in there…

“Well, there aren’t official records yet for the children of the Isle, but I know who their parents are,” He answered, taking a deep breath in and out.

“Cruella De Vil.”

_Crimes: extreme animal cruelty, dognapping._

“Jafar.”

_Crimes: treason against Agrabah, genie theft, attempted murder._

“The Evil Queen.”

_Crimes: attempted murder (on multiple occasions), dark sorcery._

“...and Maleficent.”

_Crimes: attempted murder (on multiple occasions), dark sorcery, kidnapping, and psychological torture._

It was any wonder that Maleficent ruled the Isle. Suddenly, Gaston’s sons seemed like complete angels to bring over.

“I know that they’re the worst villains, but that’s why they need the most help,” Ben reasoned, seeing the distraught look on his parents’ faces. “If we can prove to everyone that they’re not evil like their parents, then bringing over more kids in the future won’t be as difficult to be accepted by the people.”

Adam exchanged a look with Belle, trying to hold back his fury for his family’s sake, and Belle placed her hand over his. “...it’ll just be those four?” Adam questioned with a sigh, earning a nod from Ben. “Then very well. You have our approval. However, if this proclamation fails, then it falls on you," He informed. "We want you to know that risk."

Ben swallowed, a pit forming in his stomach, but he nodded anyway.

“We’ll talk more to the Fairy Godmother about this transfer, but we’ll handle it in the morning,” Belle nodded, obviously wanting to gain more information either way. Fortunately, they had a couple of months to get everything sorted out. “For now, let’s continue eating...”

The remainder of dinner was rather quiet after that. When Ben finished his meal, he dismissed himself to go to his room, and but when he arrived, he caught a glimpse of the Isle of the Lost in the distance. Dark clouds loomed over the land, and in the darkness of the night, he could see the faint glimmer of the barrier that kept everyone imprisoned.

This was the right thing to do.

His proclamation would definitely bring change to Auradon--Ben just had believe that change would be good.


	2. An Invitation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so, time to introduce the Core Four...
> 
> (This does reference events from the Isle of the Lost book, so spoilers ahead for that!)

While Ben worked on getting his proclamation passed in Auradon, life continued. Summer turned to autumn, but on the Isle, that didn’t make a difference. On the Isle, it was perpetually cloudy and damp. It brought a sense of hopelessness to anyone that stepped foot on it.

Not everyone was hopelessly pessimistic though.

That could be said for the girl that strutted her way down the streets of the market, giving the people she passed a faint glimmer of a smile. Too much smiling would ensure wrinkles one day. Even so, the reactions she received were a mix of swooning, and turning away in fear.

The daughter of the Evil Queen walked with her head held high, eyeing the different stalls she walked past, until she arrived at a small tent with a few fabrics and scarves that hung from a clothing line. She couldn’t stop the smile on her face from growing at the sight, entering the tent to examine some of the fabrics--she specifically had her eye on a blue lace trim. It was pretty clean, not too torn up. _Who would ever throw this out?_ She could definitely find some use for it.

“See something you like?” The owner spoke up, as the younger girl came face to face with him. He was taller than her, a top hat resting on his head. His eyes were dark, but it was hard to tell if it was due to makeup or dirt. A couple years older than her, give or take ...a fair target.

“You could say I’ve got my eye on something,” She spoke in a low voice, her lips curling into a smirk as she stepped closer. “...how much for this lace trim?”

The owner swallowed, his eyes going from the girl, to the material in her hand. “Um, t-that would be 10 gold…”

“Hmm, that’s a little high for me,” She pouted. “Is there anyway you can make an exception?”

“...I-I really can’t-”

“Please?” She batted her eyes.

“-- _Evie!_ ”

She turned suddenly at the call of her name, losing her seductive expression, to see young man standing at the entrance of the tent, arms crossed and dark hair falling past his shoulders. “I’ve been looking for you. When you’re done giving that dude your bedroom eyes for a discount, we gotta go.”

“ _Jay,_ ” She gritted through her teeth, her ploy falling apart.

With that, the owner took the trim right out of her hands, shaking his head down at her. “10 gold, or nothing at all,” He stated, far less susceptible now. “Take it or leave it, missy.”

Evie huffed with frustration, but before things could get any more ugly, Jay swept in between the two of them. “No time. We’ll leave it,” He patted the man on the back, flashing a charming grin up at him, while he wrapped his other arm around Evie’s shoulders and quickly led her out of the tent.

The moment they were out of there, Evie shoved him away.

“ _Come on_ , Jay!” She spat at him, clearly distraught that she hadn’t been able to get her hands on the trim. She stomped her foot in exasperation. “Do you have any idea how difficult it is to come across lace? I’ll never get that guy to sell to me again.”

“Well then, it's a good thing I stole it for you,” He raised his arm to reveal the stolen trim in his hand, causing Evie to smile with joy. However, when she reached for it, Jay recoiled his arm back, examining the lace for himself with a roguish grin. “On second thought though, maybe I should keep it. If it’s hard to come by, then it’s got to be valuable, right?”

“No way! You’ll just give it to your dad who will sell it again,” She objected, snatching it from him, and then smiling to herself as she stared at the scrap of fabric. “I can put this on a dress."

“ _I_ stole it.”

“Too bad,” Evie shoved it into her box purse for safekeeping. “Why were you looking for me anyway?”

“Right,” He remembered the reason. “Mal wants us over at the hideout. ASAP.”

Evie gave a look of confusion, but she began following Jay away from the market as quickly as she could--well, as quickly as she could in heels. “Did she say why?”

“Some sort of news. Don’t know what it is, but you don’t want to disobey the daughter of Maleficent, do you?”

* * *

Pacing around the hideout, Mal waited impatiently for the rest of her gang to arrive. She had sent Jay out to find Evie half an hour ago. As for Carlos, well, she could only assume his harpy of a mother was keeping him busy. She knew better than to march right up to Hell Hall and insist on seeing him, especially since Carlos was more than likely to insist on staying until he finished whatever he needed to do. He would show up when he was good and ready. He knew how to be obedient, after all.

The sound of footsteps coming up the staircase alerted Mal that the others had arrived. She stopped her pacing, turning to see Jay and Evie emerge from the entrance.

“Took you guys long enough.”

“It’s a big marketplace,” Jay shrugged, dropping onto one of the nearby couches.

Meanwhile, Evie had retreated to her side of the loft, pulling out her stolen trim and setting it on a desk where her old sewing machine sat. “I didn’t realize something urgent was going on. Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Mal dismissed with a huff, crossing her arms and looking back to the entrance. “Carlos hasn’t shown up yet anyway.”

“Did you try looking for him?”

“No, because there’s only one place he could ever actually be.” Unless you counted Dragon Hall, but it was a weekend. If not there, then his tree house, probably tinkering away with some new invention, but that was part of Hell Hall too.

As if on cue, footsteps and panting were heard from the entrance, and when the three of them looked, Carlos had made his way up.

“Sorry I’m later than usual,” He immediately apologized, approaching them and trying to breathe evenly after all the running. “Mom made me dye her hair.”

“Great, we don’t care,” Mal clapped her hands together, dismissing that.

“Wait,” Evie walked closer, looking down at Carlos’ hands. Through the holes on the back of his gloves, she noticed light patches across his dark skin. They looked slightly red, raw, and like they definitely hurt. “How did you get these?”

Carlos was quick to yank his hand back from Evie, taking a step away from her and hiding his hands behind his back. He swallowed, avoiding looking her in the eye. “Like I said, I did my mom’s hair.” Which meant bleach. “It’s nothing.”

It wasn’t nothing. Evie looked to Mal and Jay for their reactions, but they remained stone-faced. They knew better than to bring up their scars or injuries around each other. They all had them. Talking about them wouldn't do any good. Evie, on the other hand, had been pampered enough by the Evil Queen while growing up to ensure that her skin carried no flaws. That wasn’t to say Evie didn’t have her own mental scars, but she had no idea how to treat the subject of physical ones.

“So,” Jay spoke up, looking at Mal from his spot on the couch, and knowing a change of subject was needed. “What’s this big news you’ve got anyway?”

“News?” Carlos repeated, still catching up.

Evie rested her hands on her hips, expression somber now, but she listened anyway.

Rather than say anything, Mal disappeared into her room of the hideout. The remaining three exchanged glances, unsure of what Maleficent’s daughter was up to. She emerged again, this time, with a white envelope in hand. The top was torn open, implying that it was already been read. Mal’s name was scrawled on the front in some sort of fancy font, but the real eye catcher was that the royal crest of Auradon was printed in the corner of the envelope.

“This came straight from Auradon to Bargain Castle earlier this morning. It’s an invitation,” Mal presented to them, setting it down on a table in front of them all. “According to it, King Adam’s son is being crowned the prince next month, and his first proclamation is to bring a bunch of Isle kids into Auradon. Three other villain kids apparently got invites too.”

“You got one of the invitations to Auradon?” Jay questioned, somewhat in disbelief. " _You?_ The daughter of the _Mistress of Evil?_ ”

“Hey, I’m just as shocked as the rest of you,” She replied dryly, wondering why anyone would ever want her rotten self in the land of goodness and sunshine.

“No way, I got one too!” Evie squealed, reaching into her box purse and pulling out an envelope as well, setting it onto the table. It was just like Mal’s, ripped at the top with the crest in the corner. The only difference was that _Evie_ was written on the front instead.

Carlos reached into his back pocket, pulling out an envelope that was folded up. Unfolding it, he placed it down on the table too, revealing his own name written on it. “Me too,” He sat down, looking to the others. “I found it on my mom's dresser this morning.”

“Unbelievable,” Jay shook his head, a hint of annoyance on his face ...until he pulled out a crumpled envelope from inside of his jacket. “I can’t get rid of any of you,” He snickered, setting it on the table with his name facing up.

“I can’t believe this,” Evie gasped, clapping her hands together. “We all get to go to Auradon!”

Mal’s eyes widened slightly as she stared at each of their envelopes. That answered who the remaining three invitations were sent to.

“We’re not really going, are we?” Carlos asked, looking between all of them, his own eyes wide with reluctance. “I mean, I-I read somewhere that Auradon is full of dogs, and those things are rabid pack animals.”

A couple of the others rolled their eyes at Carlos’ statement, knowing of the fear that Cruella had ingrained into him. They each had their reasons for not telling him he was overreacting. Evie didn't bother because she knew his fear was so bad that he probably wouldn’t believe her. Jay thought his phobia was actually pretty hilarious, and would bark at him to make fun of him. Mal… Well, she just didn’t care enough.

“We’re going. All of us,” Mal insisted, her voice stern.

“Why do you care?” Jay ended up asking. “Don’t you hate sunshine and princesses?” If any of them were more likely to refuse going to Auradon, it was Mal. Jay had known Mal for years, and he knew that she lived pretty comfortably on the Isle, being one of the most feared VKs.

“Actually, it’s part of my mom’s scheme.”

The rest of the VKs stilled at the mention of Maleficent. Thinking of her sent chills up their spines. Especially for Evie, as Maleficent was the reason she and her mother stayed banished for ten years, traumatizing the memory of her sixth birthday party forever.

“Her plan is for me to go to Auradon, and bring her the Fairy Godmother’s wand so that the barrier can be destroyed. For good,” Mal swallowed, straightening where she stood, while she came to new a decision in her mind. The task she had been given weighed down on her, and she could not fail ...and if she did, it wasn't going to be on her own. “And you guys are going to help me do it.”

“Help steal the wand?” Carlos repeated, his eyes doubtful. Those were some anxious stakes.

“Newsflash: we couldn’t even get your mom’s scepter from the Forbidden Fortress,” Jay reminded her of the last time they had all worked together.

Yes, they had found the Dragon’s Eye, but while Mal was knocked out, it was Diablo that brought the scepter back to Maleficent. She had failed.

“So we learn from our mistakes. We’ll be better this time. We’ll be more ruthless, and vicious, and cruel,” Mal spoke with more force, looking to each of them. “Don’t you guys see? This is our chance to prove ourselves to our parents. To prove that we can be just as evil as them.”

Stepping away, she began to walk behind each of them, lowering her voice. “Once that barrier is destroyed, think of how highly everyone will see us...”

Evie straightened in her seat, her head held high at the thought.

“The riches we’ll get...”

A slow grin spread across Jay’s face.

“The freedom we’ll have from others...”

Carlos looked down in thought, covering up his hands.

Mal came to a stop, turning look at all of them again, and then leaning forward and placing her hands on the table. Suddenly, they all seemed more determined than they had been a few seconds ago, and Mal knew her little plan had worked. She knew what all of them desired, what their parents wanted out of them, and if they believed that was what they would get for helping her, then they would be a lot more compliant.

“We’re in this together. And we’re not going to fail ...because we’re rotten-”

Their response was in unison. “ _-to the core._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next few chapters are going to focus on each of the VKs and their last night on the Isle before they leave for Auradon the next morning. I found it a little unrealistic that they got their invites the day of, so I wanted to extend that time. 
> 
> Please send in ideas of what you guys want to see be retold in this story!


	3. A Piece of Junk

Trudging along the streets of the Isle, Jay made his way back towards his father’s junk shop--and no, that wasn’t an insult. It was literally called _Jafar’s Junk Shop_ , and it was actually his home on the Isle. The shop served as his father’s business. Everything inside the shop was something that Jay had stolen, and sometimes, when enough time had passed, Jay would end up stealing said-items again for his father to sell in his shop again. It was a vicious cycle, a pretty common business practice on the Isle, but one that Jay had known his whole life.

From the moment Jay could walk, Jafar encouraged his son to steal, and when Jay managed to string together sentences for the first time, Jafar educated him in the art of lying. If he ever found himself caught for stealing, then he should at least know how to get himself out of trouble over it. It was any wonder that Jay turned out to be the smooth talking thief he was today, but with that came a sense of selfishness and narcissism. Just as his father, Jay held himself in the highest regard. He didn’t quite share Jafar’s greed though. Jay felt no need to change or improve his life, as he was already so awesome to begin with.

It took a while for Jay to undo the numerous locks and chains that guarded the front door of his house, but once that was opened, he was greeted to the sight of his father at the dining table, counting gold coins from earlier sales.

“ _Jay-!_ ” He exclaimed, knocking his stacks of coins out of the way at the arrival of his son, his hysteria showing. “Come, come! What did you haul in today?”

With a sigh, Jay took a seat across from his father at the table, unloading everything out of his pockets and clothes, and dumping it all onto the table. A silver spoon, a green broach, a stray knitting needle, and so on. For every object Jay presented though, Jafar seemed to find something wrong with each one:

“A _rusty_ spoon-”

“There’s a _crack_ in this broach-”

“Only _one_ knitting needle? _Hmph_ , couldn’t even nab a pair…”

Jay had to refrain from rolling his eyes with each complaint, slouching against his chair and scratching his head. “You run a junk store, right?” He pointed out, trying to make light of his clear failure, and giving a lame grin. “This stuff should fit right in!”

Jafar seemed less than amused, scoffing down at him and standing up. “It’s pitiful,” He spat. “That’s what it is.”

Honestly, Jay was just lucky that he even filled his quota for the day. It saved him from getting strangled, or having to hear another threat about getting his hands chopped off, as in his father’s day, that was the punishment for stealing. Part of Jay knew that Jafar would never do that. No one else would steal for the shop other than him ...but taking his father’s hysteria into mind, that safety wasn’t guaranteed.

“No matter,” Jafar huffed, turning back to his son, walking up behind him and creeping his hands to grip Jay’s shoulders. It sent chills down his spine. “By tomorrow, you will be in Auradon, and I expect you to steal me something more valuable.”

“How will I even get it to you?” Jay questioned. “There’s kind of a barrier here.”

“Say you’re sending a care package. How the hell should I know?” Jafar dismissed, releasing his son and stepping away, his demeanor gaining more flare and volume. “It’s out there, Jay, I know it: our big score. And if I can’t get to it, then you must do it yourself-- _and bring it to me_. Imagine it! All of the riches of the world… _All of it shall be mine-!_ ”

“Ours.”

“ _-what?_ ” He coughed, as Jay had interrupted him half-cackle.

Jay raised his eyebrows at his father, even though he had mostly tuned out to his tangent. “Ours,” He repeated with a thin yet cocky smile. “Right?”

“Yes, yes, the riches will be ours,” Jafar repeated, waving his hand about, trying to regain his composure. “Now get out of my sight. Get some rest. Tomorrow will be a big day for you.”

Sighing, Jay stood from his seat, making his way to the rug he slept on every night. He could hear his father grumbling while picking up his fallen coins from the floor, but that was his own damn fault for knocking them over in the first place.

A big score.

That _damn_ big score his father never shut up about.

Last time Jay had attempted that, he planned to swipe the Dragon’s Eye from right under Mal’s nose, but that hadn’t exactly worked out. Even if Jay did succeed at taking it, the barrier made it useless.

Thinking back on it made him recall Mal’s latest scheme from earlier that day too: the one to steal the Fairy Godmother’s wand once they arrived in Auradon. It would definitely be a big score if he were to take it for himself, in the name of Jafar. It would be bigger than obtaining the Dragon’s Eye, since the wand’s magic would actually work in Auradon. The only problem was that Jay would be gambling a lot more if he failed this time, and he didn’t know how his father would take to another disappointment like this.

No matter what, if Jay decided to backstab Mal or not, he would not be telling his father about this scheme at all. It was better to keep Jafar happily oblivious rather than to risk his fury.

As Jay dropped onto his rug, staring up at the crooked shelf above him, part of him wondered if his father would even be happy if he got the wand. Jafar had once been the Grand Vizier of Agrabah, a supposedly prestigious position, and yet, he still went in search of the genie because he wasn’t content. He had always wanted more.

Maybe Jay would never understand the value of gold, or being rich. No matter how many times Jafar recited the golden rule to him (“whoever has the most gold makes the rules”), he still didn’t get it. It’s not like Maleficent was rich, yet she was ruling the Isle right now.

However, if riches made his father happy, he would gladly do whatever it took to gain them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I've seen Aladdin, so I forgot just how much of a greedy psychopath Jafar actually is, over the cooky salesman we see in Descendants. As well as his greed, I wanted to touch upon Jafar's hysteria in this chapter too, and I hope I did that justice.
> 
> Please send in ideas of what you guys want to see be retold in this story!


	4. A Goodbye Gift

Of all the members of the gang, it was safe to say that Evie was the most excited about going to Auradon. She had left the hideout earlier with a skip in her step, twirling as she imagined all of the wonders that waited for her in Auradon. It wasn’t until she began to pass by people on her way back to the Castle-Across-the-Way, however, that she noticed that they had started staring oddly at her.

Suddenly, the Evil Queen’s voice rang in her mind.

_ “Don't smile!” _

The smile from Evie’s face immediately dropped, as she tried to recompose herself and walk away, out of the view of others. The last thing she needed was for people to catch her smiling so widely. Not only was it a basic rule of the Isle to never smile around others, but it was a vital rule of her mother’s. If word got back to the Evil Queen about it…

Well, Evie didn’t want to think what her mother would do.

It was a lesson that had been ingrained into her for the longest time, and she still failed to adhere to it. Not her mother. In fact, Evie was pretty sure she had never seen her mother smile ...she did frown a lot though, which was probably just as bad as smiling, if not worse. She didn’t dare argue about it with her mother though. It was just easier to be compliant, go along with the makeup techniques and diets that her mother put her through. She had it luckier than some here on the Isle, after all.

As Evie walked, she caught a glimpse of the giant scissor sign that marked Lady Tremaine’s _Curl Up & Dye_. Seeing it made her stop in her tracks.

Dizzy.

In all of her excitement, Drizella’s daughter had completely escaped Evie’s mind. She covered her mouth, the realization hitting her. Going to Auradon meant leaving Dizzy behind on the Isle.

Evie had been getting her hair done at the _Curl Up & Dye_ for as long as she could remember, and whenever she came by, she always saw Dizzy there. Always watching her grandmother with her clients, or always sweeping in the corner. It was a couple of years ago that Evie finally found it in herself to try talking to Dizzy, but she quickly realized a ball of sunshine and energy the girl really was. Sometimes, she would pay the girl a visit when the store was closed, and find her sitting at a table, hot gluing random trinkets together to make accessories. Evie would even take a seat next to her, and the two of them would go on for days talking about fashion and crafting.

Soon, she wouldn’t be able to do that anymore.

Plucking up whatever courage she had within her, Evie stepped into the salon. It was still pretty early in the evening, meaning that it was closed, but just as she had predicted, Dizzy was inside. The young girl was scrubbing spilled dye on the floor, head bobbing along to music that played from her headphones. However, when she caught a glimpse of Evie at the door, Dizzy’s eyes lit up.

“Evie!” She squealed, shooting up from the ground, only to slip when she tried to make her way over, falling onto her backside. The smile on her face didn’t let up though. “I’m okay!”

“Oh, Dizzy,” Evie chuckled, approaching her instead to help her up, and then pulling her into a hug. “It’s good to see you again. Sorry I haven’t been by lately.”

“It’s okay! I’m just glad you’re here now,” Dizzy sighed contently, the happiness on her face clear as day. Happiness was a rare thing to come across when living on the Isle, but Dizzy did it so effortlessly. “Come on, we can catch up! You left your design book last time you were here. I kept it, and may have, sort of, went through it…? I hope you don’t mind, but--”

Evie watched endearingly as Dizzy continued to ramble on with excitement, retrieving the book from a shelf. As it was handed back to her, she ran a hand over the cover, her crown heart insignia displayed proudly on the leather bound front. She remembered being frantic the other day, thinking she had lost it somewhere. Years of creativity, all gone. She should’ve been glad to have it back. Now, however, the book in her hand seemed of little significance.

“Um, Dizzy?” She spoke up, causing the younger girl to stop talking and stare up at her with wide eyes. Swallowing, Evie set the book to the side. “Look, there’s something I need to tell you, and it’s kind of important.”

Dizzy blinked, unsure of what to think, but she nodded away. “What is it?”

“Well, um… I found out that something earlier this morning. Something big, and this--this really isn’t easy to say,” She sighed, trying to find the right words while also remaining composed. “I’m going away. Auradon’s prince has decided to bring a few Isle kids into the kingdom to live there, and I get to go. I’m leaving tomorrow morning.”

The way that Dizzy’s face fell almost made Evie’s heart break. “You’re moving to Auradon?”

Dizzy wanted to be happy for Evie. She was happy for Evie. There were times when the two of them would fantasize about going to Auradon one day, after all. She had always wondered what a walk-in closet looked like, what a real swimming pool was like, how ice cream tasted--all things that could be found in Auradon. Evie would finally get to experience all of that ...but Dizzy would be lying if she said she wasn’t going to miss her more. Evie was like the older sister she never had, and if she moved to Auradon, she might never see her again.

Evie opened her mouth to respond, but Mal’s scheme entered her mind. Steal Fairy Godmother’s wand. Bring down the barrier. No barrier meant that Evie could return for Dizzy.

“Listen to me,” Evie bent down so that she was at Dizzy’s level, giving her a sad smile. “I’m not going to be gone for long, alright? The rest of the gang is going with me,” She started, as Dizzy knew Mal, Carlos, and Jay as well. “And we’ve got something planned. No matter how long it takes, Dizzy, I’ll be back.”

She wiped away a stray tear that had fallen from Dizzy’s cheek, while the young girl sniffed and nodded at her.

“You’d really come back for me?” Dizzy asked, sounding somewhat surprised.

“Of course I would,” Evie insisted, just as her gaze fell to her design book on the table. “In fact,” She picked up the book, and then handed it to Dizzy. “I want you to have this while I’m gone.”

“Your design book?” Her eyes grew wide, as she stared down at the cover. “Really? For me? Are you sure?”

“I can’t think of anyone else I would want.”

While the gesture didn’t fully diminish Dizzy’s sadness, it was enough to bring the bright smile back to her face. “I promise I’ll keep it safe,” She nodded eagerly, hugging the book to her chest.

“That’s my girl,” Evie smiled softly down at her. “In fact, I’d be honored if you filled up the rest of the pages for me.”

It was obvious to see that Dizzy was trying not to squeal. “Well, now that you mention it, I did have a couple of ideas to add in…”

There was still some time to kill before her mother expected her home, so Evie spent the remainder of it with Dizzy, who showed off a couple of new accessories that she had crafted the other day. Her excitement was contagious, and Evie found it difficult to keep the smile off of her face as she watched the girl skip around the room.

Well, what her mother didn’t know couldn’t hurt her, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I would like to say sorry that it's been so long since I've updated. Fortunately, I have been accumulating some ideas for more moments in this story in the future.
> 
> When writing Evie's last day on the Isle, it was important for me to write some sort of goodbye between her and Dizzy. The strict rule about not smiling comes primarily from a fun fact I found that, throughout most of the Snow White film, the Evil Queen never smiles before she turns into a hag. It also comes from when Evie tells Ben in Descendants 2 to "never, ever smile" as typical Isle behavior.
> 
> Please send in ideas of what you guys want to see be retold in this story!


	5. A Bad Pet

Carlos was quick getting back home after his little meeting with the others ended. Even though he had completed his chores earlier that day, the fear that his mother still needed something out of him lingered in the back of his mind. Whatever she needed, he would comply. He _had to_ comply.

Entering Hell Hall, Carlos was reluctant as he stepped foot into his own house. His mother was definitely home by now. He could tell just by the lingering smell of smoke in the air, and-

_“PET!”_

Well, that.

She was definitely home.

Swallowing, he quickly made his way towards the source of the screech. Cruella sat in one of the large chairs, inhaling through a cigarette holder. Her red lips were pursed as she blew the smoke out, catching sight of her son standing near the entrance.

“Well don’t just stand there,” She rolled her eyes. “Get over here.”

Without hesitation, he stepped closer until he stood in front of his mother, resisting the urge to cough or swat away the smoke that still lingered in the air from her cigarette. His lungs were used to the damage. He gazed down at the floor, not daring to look his mother in the eye.

“You’ve been a bad pet, you know.”

Carlos’ eyes widened for a split second, stiffening. “I finished my chore list earlier today,” He spoke quietly, not trying to argue, but still not understanding what he had done wrong. So long as his chores were done, he was usually off the hook. So much for hoping just to get dismissed to the closet or his tree house for the rest of the night.

“What you did was barely suitable, but that’s not what I’m talking about.” Cruella came to a stand, and Carlos stumbled backwards, as not to bump into her. “Something is missing from mummy’s dresser…”

_The invitation._

“You should know better than to steal from me, Carlos.”

“I-It…” He stammered. The invitation folded up inside of his pocket felt heavy now. “It had my name on it, so I thought-”

“ _You thought?!_ ” She cackled loudly at the mere implication, making Carlos jump. “ _Pets don’t think!_ What makes _you_ believe you get that luxury?”

It took a moment for Cruella’s maniacal laughter to cease. Carlos remained still, shrinking in on himself and trying to look as small as possible, as he waited for his mother’s next action. “...don’t think for a second,” She hissed down at him. “That you’ll be going to Auradon tomorrow morning with those other brats. Don’t forget, Auradon has dogs.”

The reminder made Carlos’ eyes grow wide, his chest clenching from the fear that he felt at the mental image in his head. The snarling. The sharp teeth. The moment he came across a dog in Auradon, he would be dead.

Suddenly, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, and a hand playing with his hair. “ _Shh_ , no need to tremble. That’s what mummy is here for,” Cruella soothed, and as hoarse as his mother’s voice sounded, Carlos couldn’t help but feel comforted as he was held in her arms. It reminded him of a simpler time, back when he was young enough that Cruella would treat him as more of a puppy than a slave ...not that it stopped her from making him sleep in a dog crate when he could still fit inside of it.

Slowly, his breathing grew even again. His mother would protect him. She would turn that mutt into a new pair of slippers before it had the chance to eat him.

“ _But-_ ” The hand in his hair tugged sharply, and Carlos visibly winced. “Mummy only protects good pets. Is that clear?”

Carlos didn’t bother speaking, but he nodded to the best of his ability. _Good pets were to be seen, not heard from._

A moment passed, and Cruella released her grip on her son. She took one last puff from her cigarette, before looking expectantly at Carlos. Already knowing the drill, Carlos rolled his sleeve up and presented his forearm. Her claws dug into his wrist as she pulled his arm closer, and then she pushed the lit end of her cigarette into his skin to extinguish it. He bit down on his tongue, not daring to make a sound, until Cruella lifted the cigarette to reveal a new burn on his arm. One of many.

Once she had let go, she also tossed the butt of her cigarette onto the ground, saying dismissively, “Clean this up.”

Heels clacking against the floor, Cruella took her leave, leaving Carlos on his own. He sniffed, breathing through the pain of the burn, and rolling down his sleeve to cover it up. He was careful as he bent down to pick up the cigarette, not wanting to leave any ashes on the ground, before he disposed of it. The last thing he needed was a bigger mess.

* * *

 

Sleep did not come easy for the De Vil boy that night.

...actually, it didn't come at all.

Carlos lay awake on the mattress within his mom’s closet, wondering what the hell he was going to do when that limo arrived the next morning to pick up him and the others. It had already been established that all of them were to go to Auradon. They would steal the Fairy Godmother’s wand. They would bring down the barrier, and evil could reign once more.

He was conflicted as he imagined his mother in Auradon. No doubt she would try to regain the luxury of her former life. She would go back to dognapping, or other societal crimes. With any luck, she would be too busy to notice him anymore.

The fact was that Cruella’s one true love were her furs.

Carlos had to face that realization back during his mission for the Dragon’s Eye with the others. She loved her furs more than him, if she even held any love for him ...but whenever Carlos was reminded of that reality, the thought of Mal, Evie, and Jay at his side was enough to bring him out of his slump. Yeah, they treated him like crap, but whether or not any of them realized it, they were pining for their parents’ love just as much as he was. In a way, they were all kindred souls--and hey, at least they acknowledged he was a human being with a thoughtful brain. 

The sun started to peek through the clouds of the Isle a few hours later, and when morning came, Carlos had made up his mind.

It was about time that he had escaped his dog crate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In all honesty, I don't know a lot about 101 Dalmatians. I had watched Once Upon A Time's Cruella, but otherwise, it was a shot in the dark trying to write her. Her relationship with Carlos is the most blatantly dark since his abuse is hinted at a lot more than the others'.
> 
> With that in mind, a lot of inspiration for how I wrote Carlos with Cruella comes from devillains on tumblr. Basically, they're awesome and deserve some love.
> 
> Please send in ideas of what you guys want to see be retold in this story!


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